Battle on the Mountain: THE KITCHEN AND DINING ROOM
Watch the Episode
HGTV’s Battle on the Mountain Episode 1: Kitchen Clash premiered on January 22, 2024 and can be streamed on Discovery+ & MAX
Heading into filming Battle on the Mountain (BOTM) there wasn’t much we could do in terms of preparation. We knew virtually nothing about this season and our only point of reference was previous seasons of Battle on the Beach. But whenever we sat down to watch an episode we ended up tossing and turning all night - dreaming of being on a tv show.
The only way we knew to prepare was getting into the right mindset. This was going to be grueling, and possibly the hardest thing we have ever done, BUT it also has the opportunity to be the most fun we’ve ever had. We wanted to dodge the nerves of being on tv and focus on just be ourselves… while creating spaces that, win or lose, we could be proud of. Renovate a cabin in 6 weeks with $100k dollars of someone else’s money? Sign us up.
Oh! We also knew that we only had each other to lean on during this time and worked really hard to be patient and graceful with each other throughout the entire process.
End of Day 1: We captured photos so that we could reference them while back in the hotel room.
Day 2: The gutted Kitchen and Dining Room spaces
The Renovation & Sources
The drama, my friends, was real. We wanted to open up the Kitchen to the rest of the main living space and luckily that process was fairly straight forward - pole or not. The Mud Room on the other hand was a nightmare - the space was a maze of walls and tiny doorways - and worst of all, there was absolutely no light. We knew that in order to win this competition we had to change that and it took so much time and resources.
We focused on mixing the new materials with reclaimed ones - making sure to re-install any removed wall boards. We also visited a lumber yard where we sourced reclaimed wood for the open shelving and for the mudroom bench. The open shelving has a beautiful groove detail on the bottom side and fits perfectly into a matte black bracket.
In the lumber yard with our carpenter Erin Ashley. One of the coolest people we have ever met.
Cabinets
Cabinets have a lead time so we were required to order our kitchen in the first couple days of being on set. We didn’t even have a kitchen design in place but we guessed at the rough layout and placed an order. It was the most unhinged thing we had ever done - especially coming off a year+ kitchen renovation project. Turns out, the cabinets were actually great. We assembled them ourselves in just a day and they went together without a hitch. We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend these cabinets for they DIY kitchen renovator.
// Rustic Shaker Kitchen Cabinets
Counters
We sourced a simple black granite with a leathered finish and we were absolutely obsessed. The leathering creates a matte texture that we couldn’t stop touching. We will be doing this again in the future, guaranteed.
Notable Lighting
// Over Island Pendant Light
// Over Sink Light
// Dining Room Sconces
// Mud Room Semi Flush Mounts
// Mud Room Picture Light
Tile
We sourced all of our tile (and flooring / carpet) at Frisco Flooring. We spent so much time in that showroom and really leaned on the staff to help with getting things in on time - they were all a delight to work with.
Appliances
We sourced all new appliances including the Samsung Bespoke series in White for the range and dishwasher. The way the panel reflects made us fall in love with the white - while offering a respite from the dark wood and counters. We also sourced a new refrigerator and wrapped it in custom printed vinyl (the stuff they wrap busses in) topped with a custom logo. Lastly, we installed a beverage fridge in the island for additional drink storage.
// Our Favorite Kitchen Sink
// Kitchen Faucet
// Integrated Range Hood
// Beverage Fridge
Furniture
// Counter Height Barstools
// Dining Room Table
// Dining Room Chairs
// Dining Room Curtain Rods
// Dining Room Curtain Panels
// Kitchen Runner
Favorite Decor Items
// Tea Kettle
// Wall Clock
// Measuring Spoons
// Kitchen Scale
// Plate Settings
// Glassware
Final Thoughts
There was no hiding it - we wanted to win the kitchen and we leaned hard into the cabin aesthetic. Our goal was to create the perfect vacation home and respite from a day at the slopes.
Its fair to say that we are proud of what we created. Thank you to the entire team, including our carpenters who worked so hard right beside us to make this space a reality.
